AKP Phnom Penh, March 26, 2026— --

Cambodian authorities have detained 17 foreign nationals in connection with an online scam operation uncovered in Phnom Penh’s Sangkat Veal Sbov, officials said on Wednesday.

The operation, conducted on Mar. 25, was led by the Phnom Penh Unified Command Committee under the direct orders of Governor H.E. Khuong Sreng and Phnom Penh Police Commissioner Choun Narin, with coordination from local authorities in Khan Chbar Ampov and deputy prosecutor at the Phnom Penh Municipal Court.

According to the Secretariat of the Commission for Combating Online Scams (CCOS), authorities inspected four locations comprising 22 houses in the area, where a total of 57 foreign nationals — including 14 women — from six countries were found residing. Those identified were from China, Vietnam, Russia, Myanmar, South Korea and Pakistan.

During the crackdown, officials identified one house as an active site for online scam activities. At the property, located along Street C01 in Kdey Takoy village, authorities arrested 17 men, including 16 Chinese nationals — 13 of whom were found without passports — and one Vietnamese national.

Authorities seized equipment believed to be used in the scam operations, including 27 mobile phones, two laptops, one central processing unit (CPU) and one monitor.

Officials said the raid was prompted by intelligence indicating the suspects were concealing equipment used for cyber fraud and residing illegally, in violation of Cambodia’s regulations on security management at clustered residential sites.

The premises have been temporarily sealed, while the suspects and confiscated evidence have been transferred to the Phnom Penh Municipal Police for further questioning and legal proceedings.

The CCOS said that nationwide crackdowns since 2025 through the second week of March 2026 have led to the closure of 236 locations linked to online fraud, including 91 casino sites and 145 residential properties such as boreys, villas and condominiums.

A report by the Ministry of Justice shows that Cambodian courts have handled 79 online scam-related cases over the past eight months, resulting in the conviction of 697 ringleaders and accomplices of various nationalities.

Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has pledged to eradicate online scam activities from the country by April 2026, warning that Cambodia “will not serve as a haven for cybercriminals” and that those behind such operations will face the full force of the law without exception.

By K. Rithy Reak